Statement from the National Emergency Coordination Group on severe weather - 18 February 2022

A National Emergency Coordination Group meeting was held today (Friday 18 February) to review the impact of Storm Eunice and receive feedback from all key stakeholders on impacts, responses and ongoing issues. There have been 4 meetings of the group since Tuesday to fully assess and prepare for the potential impact and threats posed by Storm Dudley and Storm Eunice.

As predicted Storm Eunice made landfall overnight in the South West, before moving across the country in line with Met Éireann predictions. It brought some very strong onshore winds, with mean wind speeds of 106 Km/h and the highest gusts recorded at Roches Point of 137 Km/h. Rainfall was sporadic and variable with 25mm recorded over a 24 hour period in areas of the North West. Snow has also been reported in the Northwest, especially in Donegal and Roscommon. Reports of impacts from around the country show many trees have come down blocking some National and Regional roads, some structural damage to buildings and some coastal flooding, with the South and South West worst affected.

ESB Networks crews are mobilising as Storm Eunice tracks across the country, at 12 noon, more than 80,000 electricity customers remain without power across the country. Customers can check estimated restoration times or report an outage on Powercheck.ie. Safety of public and crews is critical. ESB Networks will be making safe faults throughout the day and restoring supply remotely and on site when safe to do so.

Local authorities

Local authorities, who are the lead agency for the response to severe weather events on the ground, activated their Crisis Management Teams and Local Coordination Groups and had been meeting all week and co-ordinating preparation for the arrival of Storm Eunice. Preventative actions taken to mitigate the impact of the storm included the installation of major temporary flood defences, filling and dispensing sandbags, public information campaigns, clearing gullies and clearing other contributors to flooding, and gritting National and Regional roads for sleet and snow conditions. Local authorities also worked with local Gardaí, Coast Guard and other first responders to ensure the public were aware of the threats. Crews have begun the clearup operations where conditions allow.

Updates on HSE services impacted by Storm Eunice are available at the following link:

Health services disruptions during storms

The Department of Transport is continuing to engage with agencies and operators in relation to disruption to transport services. Initial reports indicate some disruption to flights and ferry services and the public are reminded to check with flight/ferry operators if they are intending to travel for updates. Further reports have indicated some disruption to public transport services, particularly in south west of the country and the public are asked to check social media for updates.

Sources for accessing information on transport services, road conditions and traffic updates during severe weather are available on the Department of Transport’s Be Winter Ready/Contact Information page.

RSA have a disruption to driving test page which is being regularly updated and now has a map with specific detail:

Disruption to tests

General public safety advice:

• stay away from all coastal areas for the duration of the Met Éireann warnings
• all road users should be aware of the potential for hazardous travelling conditions. Motorists should slow down and be aware of the dangers of fallen trees and debris. High sided vehicles, cyclists and motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable during this time
• keep mobile phone charged
• it is critical that people never ever touch or approach fallen wires, stay safe and stay clear of fallen or damage electricity wires, and contact us at 1800 372 999

The Health amd Safety Authority have issued the following guidance to workers.

The most common cause of fatalities in clearing fallen trees and branches using chainsaws arises from the high risk of being struck by falling trees or branches during clean-up operations:

• only those with appropriate training in the use of chainsaws should operate chainsaws
• never work on your own
• ensure that bystanders are at a safe distance from cutting activities
• wear suitable head and face guard protection
• wear a high-visibility jacket, and protective clothing
• do not walk or work under unstable windblown trees
• tell someone your estimated time of return

The HSA is advising anyone encountering fallen trees not to try to clear or fell such trees. Instead, they should contact their local authority who have expert trained crews with specialist equipment to deal with storm damaged and windblown trees.

Any work at height, such as repair of overhead lines or the roofs of farm buildings, should also be undertaken with extreme caution in mind. Repair of roofs should only be done after Storm Eunice has cleared and a risk assessment has been carried out. All work at height must be properly planned and organised, the correct equipment should be used, and anyone working at height must be competent to do so.